US judge temporarily blocks Trump from sending troops to Illinois
In a further judicial blow to President Trump's attempts to overrule federal and city authorities to impose his will on US cities, a district judge blocked the deployment of the National Guard to Chicago in particular and Illinois in general.
Washington (dpa) - A US judge on Thursday issued a temporary restraining order blocking the deployment of National Guard troops in Illinois, which includes the city of Chicago.
US District Judge April Perry's order will remain in effect for two weeks, with a hearing to be held on October 22 to determine whether it should be extended.
According to the US military, about 500 National Guard members are already stationed in the region. Several US media outlets reported that the troops deployed to the greater Chicago area were already in action on Thursday.
Trump order guard in to protect federal officials
The Trump administration had ordered the soldiers to protect federal property and officials in Chicago, including agents with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), from what it described as violent protesters.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called the ruling a "win for the people of Chicago and the rule of law" in a post on X.
"Judge Perry echoed many of the points that we have made repeatedly: Trump's deployment is illegal, unconstitutional, dangerous, and unnecessary. There is no rebellion in Chicago. There are just good people standing up for what is right," he said.
The National Guard is a reserve military force and part of the US armed forces. It is usually only deployed domestically during natural disasters, civil unrest and other emergencies.